I'm watching 'Vertigo' and listening to its commentary by the restorers of the film, its associate producer and its co-script writer. It's my favorite Hitchcock film, possibly because it's subjects are those of guilt and obsession (two things I laughingly know very much about). The commentators mention 'North by Northwest' a lot.
One of my favorite memories is of being in Los Angeles and holding Ernest Lehman's personal copy of his original script for 'North by Northwest'. Somewhere in a notebook of mine, I have written down the text of a voice-over that was to initially be used to introduce the film. It was never used. Mr. Lehman's handwritten note in the margin says it should never be published...and I won't.
Listening to William Friedkin's commentary and wonderful analysis of the film, he mentions that the first half of 'Vertigo' is a hoax and I'm reminded of one of my other favorite films is David Lynch's 'Mullholland Drive'. Another film who's first half is a hoax.